Election Day 2022 is in the books, but that doesn't mean it is over yet. A number of key races are still too close to call, with the question of which party will control of Congress unanswered as of Wednesday morning.
As votes are still being counted in key races, here's an overview of what Election Night meant for President Joe Biden. With two years left in his term, the battle for Congress will determine what he'll be able to accomplish during the rest of his presidency.
At a Democratic National Committee reception on Monday, Biden admitted that it would be a "difficult two years," and he would spend a lot of time "with the veto pen" if Democrats lose Congress.
Prior to the election, the Senate was split 50-50 with Vice President Kamala Harris as the tie-breaker, and the House was 219-211 in favor of Democrats.
"If we lose the House and we lose the Senate it's going to be a really difficult two years," Biden told the crowd, per the Associated Press. "I'll be spending more time with the veto pen than getting anything done."
Biden reportedly spent Tuesday night huddled with advisers watching the incoming returns and making congratulatory calls to more than 30 Democratic candidates. As exit polls showed early returns favoring Republicans, the president professed optimism to the end, telling Democratic state party officials that "we're going to surprise the living devil out of people," the AP reported.
Privately, Biden's advisers acknowledge that they don't see a viable path for Democrats to hold onto their House majority, according to CNN. Republicans appear poised to take control of the chamber though an earlier-predicted "red wave" did not materialize, per the outlet.
Either party needs at least 218 seats to control majority of the House. As of 8 a.m. ET Wednesday, CNN is reporting 199 seats for Republicans and 178 for Democrats.
Republican control of the house means that U.S. Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) would replace Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). If the GOP gains control of the chamber, it has promised to "deliver an economy that's strong, a nation that's safe, a future that's built on freedom, and a government that's accountable."
As for the Senate, CNN has both parties tied at 48 seats a piece as of 8 a.m. ET Wednesday. In one of the most important Senate race results, Democrats picked up a Senate seat in Pennsylvania with a victory by John Fetterman.
Undecided key races in Nevada, Georgia, Wisconsin and Arizona could ultimately determine which party controls both chambers of Congress.
Here are the remaining races, whose outcomes will determine which party controls the chambers, according to CNN:
SENATE
• Arizona: With 67% of votes in, the incumbent Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly is ahead of Republican Blake Masters by 107,883 votes.
• Georgia: With 96% of votes in, the incumbent Democrat Rev. Raphael Warnock leads Republican Herschel Walker by 18,043 votes.
• Nevada: With 80% of votes in, Republican Adam Laxalt is ahead of incumbent Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto by 22,595 votes.
• Wisconsin: With 94% of votes in, the incumbent Republican Sen. Ron Johnson leads Mandela Barnes, a Democrat, by 32,879 votes.
• Alaska: With 67% of votes in, Kelly Tshibaka, a Republican, leads the incumbent Sen. Lisa Murkowski, also a Republican, by 3,196 votes.
HOUSE
• Arizona’s 1st , 2nd, 4th, 5th and 6th Districts
• California’s 3rd, 6th , 9th , 13th, 15th 21st, 23rd, 25th 27th, 34th, 37th, 40th, 41st, 45th, 47th and 49th Districts
• Colorado’s 3rd, 7th and 8th Districts
• Connecticut’s 5th District
• Florida’s 23rd District
• Illinois’s 17th District
• Indiana’s 1st District
• Iowa’s 3rd District
• Maine’s 2nd District
• Maryland’s 2nd and 6th Districts
• Michigan’s 3rd, 8th and 10th Districts
• Montana’s 1st District
• Nebraska’s 2nd District
• Nevada’s 1st, 3rd and 4th Districts
• New Mexico’s 2nd District
• New York’s 1st, 3rd, 4th, 17th, 18th, 19th and 22nd Districts
• North Carolina’s 1st District
• Oregon’s 5thand 6th Districts
• Pennsylvania’s 6th and 7th Districts
• Washington’s 3rd, 8th and 10th Districts
Should Republicans win control of Congress, the AP reports that Biden allies are gearing up for fights on keeping the government funded and its financial obligations met, sustaining support for Ukraine and protecting his signature legislative achievements from repeal efforts.
No matter the outcome, the president's priorities over the remainder of his term will be reshaped by voters.
Instead of outlining what he hopes to accomplish in his next two years, Biden has largely been reflecting on what he has already accomplished heading into the midterm elections, touting bills that addressed the coronavirus pandemic, the country's infrastructure, economic policies, and climate change. In the years ahead, allies indicate to the AP that Biden's focus will turn to preserving those gains, implementing massive pieces of legislation, sustaining effective governance in an even more charged environment and shoring up his party's standing ahead of the next presidential election.
The president, 79, has repeated his intention to run for reelection in 2024 though a final decision has not been made. It's unclear how the pending results could impact his plans.
Biden is expected to address the nation on Wednesday about the results, which may take days to be finalized, according to the White House.
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